'Morning Hour' focuses on Sandy Hook

Charles J. Lewis

Published 9:26 pm, Thursday, June 13, 2013

Photo: Contributed Photo, Hearst Newspapers/Nicole Narea

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Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks during an event marking the six month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. shooting at the U.S. Capitol June 13, 2013 in Washington, DC. Friends and family members of the shooting victims joined members of Congress for a day long event to honor the 26 children and educators killed in the December shooting, and to renew calls for gun reform legislation. less

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks during an event marking the six month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. shooting at the U.S. Capitol June 13, 2013 in Washington, DC. Friends and family members of the ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo, Hearst Newspapers/Nicole Narea

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Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-CT5), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) stand behind Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during an event marking the six month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. shooting at the U.S. Capitol June 13, 2013 in Washington, DC. Friends and family members of the shooting victims joined members of Congress. less

Senator Christopher Murphy speaks during an event marking the six month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. shooting at the U.S. Capitol June 13, 2013 in Washington, DC. Friends and family members of the shooting victims joined members of Congress for a day long event to honor the 26 children and educators killed in the December shooting, and to renew calls for gun reform legislation. less

Senator Christopher Murphy speaks during an event marking the six month anniversary of the Newtown, Conn. shooting at the U.S. Capitol June 13, 2013 in Washington, DC. Friends and family members of the shooting ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo, Hearst Newspapers/Nicole Narea

'Morning Hour' focuses on Sandy Hook

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WASHINGTON -- It's one of the cherished quirks of Congress -- the "Morning Hour" in the House of Representatives, when representatives can command the spotlight for five minutes on the floor to speak about any topic they choose.

These rhetorical solos usually range from salutations to a civic organization back home to congratulations to the local high school football team or praise for a deceased constituent. The chamber is usually lightly populated as lawmakers are attending committee meetings before the full House convenes later in the day. But the CSPAN cameras and the Congressional Record memorialize the five-minute speeches.

Thursday morning, members of the Connecticut House delegation joined other Democratic congressional leaders to devote the hour to somber remarks marking the six-month anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the actions that Congress must take would be a "truly fitting memorial'' to the victims of the Sandy Hook shootings. She choked up as she recalled family members meeting with her earlier this week, and she displayed photos of some of the victims.

Pelosi called for a House vote on the bill expanding background checks.

"I don't know how much more motivation we need,'' she said, saluting the grief of family members as "a source of strength to help save other people.''

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the second-ranking House Democrat, used his five-minutes to salute the first responders who rushed to the Sandy Hook Elementary School on the morning of the shootings. He said broad public support for background checks on gun purchasers should lead to "swift and decisive action by Congress.''

Hoyer also saluted Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Connecticut, whose district includes Newtown, for her leadership in the bipartisan bill. The people of Newtown sent her to Congress, Hoyer said, to vote on "policies to make our country better and to make our country more safe.''

That's why House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, should allow a floor vote on the bill, Hoyer said.

When her turn came, Esty stood in the well of the House and noted that the memory of the shootings "is still very raw and will always run very deep for the people of Newtown.''

"This small community that has been through so much has inspired our nation with tremendous courage and resilience," she said, adding that "Americans have been inspired by the brave first responders ¦ Americans have been inspired by the Sandy Hook families."

The families have successfully pushed new gun laws in Hartford, she said, but in Washington "they face inexplicable political cowardice.'' That harsh verdict was seconded by Rep. John Larson , D-Connecticut, who lashed out at the House Republican leadership for failing to bring the background check bill to a vote.

"Every day that we delay a vote on this bipartisan bill, Congress is complicit," Larson said. "Congress sits by as 5,000 more victims die at the point of a gun,'' he added, referring to the gunshot victims killed in the United States since the Sandy Hook massacre.